I deal with a lot of Arizona Nurses regarding Arizona State Board of Nursing complaints. One thing I can say about my experience is that Arizona Nurses have a personality type.
A very common theme of a nurse’s personality is a desire to be compliant and follow instructions. They have faith in the legal process and they often believe they have not done anything wrong. This is not surprising. As professionals, nurses are required to carry out physician orders and make sure they are reporting accurate updates on patient conditions.
Unfortunately, when a nurse receives a complaint from the Arizona State Board of Nursing they are often too quick to immediately follow instructions (carryout orders) and provide information (providing update on condition) without legal guidance. Often this approach to responding to a complaint can be catastrophic to the nurse’s defense of the matter and is unnecessary. You may not be fully informed about the allegations or the evidence against you. If you respond too quickly you can make statements can be used against you if the board uncovers evidence that contradicts your written response. That is why it is very important to hire an attorney to review your matter immediately and develop a plan to respond.
You always have a right to legal counsel at every stage of the nursing board investigation. It makes sense to take a minute to stop and think about the significance of any nursing board complaint and seek legal counsel to make sure you do not cause damage your professional career and respond with the full understanding of the facts and evidence.